Cushion



Feb. 1l, 1947- R. 1'. SCHMIDT CUSHION Filed Hay 10, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 jive/,#775:

75, fha/r Semmai/t J %/f v T gj Feb. 11, 1947.

R. T. scHMm-'r CUSHION Filed May 10, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented `Feb. lll, 1.947

UNITED STATES PATENT clerics This .invention relates to cushions and particeinen to. cushions as used in chai-1s, beds and the like.

The particular object of this invention is to provide a cushion that is light in weight, yet sturdy, and durable. Y

Another object is to provide a cushion that may be easily dismounted in units that may be cleaned and made thoroughly sanitary.

Another6 object `is to provide cushion structure that may be readily modified to form seats and backs of chairs, or rearranged to provide beds oi-vthe like.

And a still further object is to provide a cushion that is largely water-proof and non-absorbent so that, combined with its light weight and normally sealed interior air space, it is extremely buoyant.

Other objects and benefits will be disclosed in following descriptions and drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the metallic supporting structure;

Fig-` Z-is a broken enlarged sectional view showing the contact of the central spring mounting with the baserwire as will'later be explained.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation view of the metallic supporting structure as it would appear on the section lines 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional elevation view of a.

Fig. 6 is a broken tcp plan view of the central r.

spring mounting;

Fig. l is a cross sectional view of the supporting structure shown in Fig. 3, attached to the spring member shown in Fig. 4 embedded in plastic material as will later be explained; and

Fig. B is a cross sectional elevation view of my cushion upholstered and mounted on a supporting member as will later be explained.

Now referring to the drawings, and at the outset to Fig. l l form a cushion supporting structure from spring alloy aluminum Wire by attachlng a base wire lll to a tn frame member Il by welding therebetween a concave continuously looped spring l2, Cross wires I4 and l5 are attached to the top frame ll by welding their ends thereto. This forms an aluminum spring wire supporting structure which may be placed on dual cross springs IB and ll, held together and to a cup stamped member I8 by a bolt i9. The ends oi the ilat spring members lB and ll are 2 formed into supporting sockets 20 as clearly shown iii-Figs 2.

The supporting structure as described is now inserted in a mold andembedded in plastic material. suchas ethyl cellulose or any other similar plastic which is exible and somewhatV rubberlike to form a member 2l as clearly shown in Fig; 7. A coil spring- 22' is similarly placed in a mold and embedded in a plastic to form a memberI 2$as shown-iin Fig. 5. The member 23 is now attached in thecenterof the member 2l4 by fusi-ngor vulcanizing--i-let 24.

FromV the above-description, it will be appreciatedl that the entire supporting structure, together with the central springv 22 is now embedded in a flexible plastic material to form a unit as shown in Fig. 7. Although this plastic material is flexible, it is not lively resilient, but rather is only passively resilient and more restful than lively rubber-like material.

This unit is now set in the sockets 2li of the dual hat springs t6 and l1 and attached to a Wood base 25 by means of a series of hook bolts 2E as clearly shown in Fig. 8. The hook bolts 26 also attach an aluminum angle member 21 having a series of: button-like projections 2B thereon by which the cover 291. is attached over a rubber-nbre upholstering member 30- inteifposed on top and over the sides of the member 2l. By this structure, it will be appreciated that I have provided means whereby the members 2l, 25, 29 and 30 may be readily separated for cleaning. Although it is possible to construct such a cushion embodying only the base wire l0, I find that a more durable and resilient cushion is obtained by employing the cushion supporting structure of lighter wire consisting of the members ll, l2, I4 and I5.

The bolt I9 securing the members IE, ll and i8 also secures a yoke member 34 which resiliently supports a valve member by means of a bolt 3E and. an auxiliary spring 3l. The valve 35 normally closes a circular opening 33 in the base 25 as will be readily appreciated when considering the action of the dual springs I5 and Il together with the lighter auxiliary spring 3l. When weight is applied to the supporting structure 2l as by a person seated on the cushion` the resilient spring member 23 bearing on the cup IB and the dual springs lli and Il will force the valve 35 downwardly to permit air Within the hollow lnterior of the cushion to escape through the valve opening 33 in the base 25. However` when no such weight is applied, the opening 32 will be sealed by the valve 35 by action of the auxiliary spring 3l. From the above explanation, it will be appreciated that I have provided a hollow cushion member which is normally sealed. It will be further appreciated that my light aluminum spring wire construction, combined with the light plastic material employed to embed the structure, provides a very light cushion that is extremely buoyant. This characteristic is of particular value for cushions employed in sea-going craft because such cushions might readily serve as life rafts or the like. It will be appreciated that the plastic material used herein is non-absorbent of moisture and this, combined with its very low specific gravity, further adds to the desirable light, buoyant characteristics. Where such buoyant characteristics are not needed the valve feature may be omitted.

My cushion structure may be readily attached to supporting structures such as aluminum tubes 3| by means of bolts 32 as clearly shown in Fig. 8. Although I have described a cushion such as employed for the seat of a-chair, it will be appreciated that my structure is sufilciently exible to permit cushions for the backs of chairs or for beds and the like.

Having thus described my invention, I now claim as new:-

1. In a cushion for the human body. an inverted box-like plastic member formed with relatively thin inwardly inclined side walls and an integral top section, an inverted resilient wire basket imbedded in the plastic member, the stiliness of the wire basket and its adhesion with the plastic walls providing a structure whereby the weight of the body is yieldably supported Without uncomfortable contact pressure of the metallic wires on the body.

2. In a, cushion as described in claim l; the resilient wire basket including a base wire positioned closely adjacent the bottom of the plastic member, hook bolts inserted through the plastic material engaging said base wire and providing means attaching the plastic member to supporting structure.

3. In a cushion as specified in claim l; a flat arched spring attached to the base wire and arched upwardly under the top section engaging and secured to a member depending from the top section and providing auxiliary support for the plastic member.

4. In a cushion for the human body, an in` verted box-like plastic member, an inverted resilient wire basket including a base wire imbedded within the plastic member, the base wire being positioned closely adjacent the bottom of the plastic member, hook bolts inserted through the plastic material providing means attaching the plastic member to a supporting structure, a flat arched spring means attached to the base wire arching upwardly, a tubular plastic member attached to and depending from the inside center of the plastic member having a coiled spring imbedded therein to engage the arched spring means and to provide additional support.

5. In a cushion as specified in claim 4; said supporting structure comprising a base member in sealed attachment to the plastic member having a valve opening therein and a valve carried by the arched spring coacting with the valve seat around the opening providing structure whereby the hollow plastic member is sealed when the weight of the body is removed thereby providing a light Weight cushion.

R.. TH'UR SCHMIDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,725,479 Rissmann Aug. 20, 1929 1,321,301 Gibbons Nov. 11, 1919 1,916,056 Lamplugh June 27, 1933 2,194,569 Rumpf Mar. 26, 1940 2,247,543 Bernstein July 1, 1941 244,547 Crawford July 19, i881 2,231,732 Nachman, et al. Feb. ll, 1941 1,993,228 Sampson Mar. 5, 1935 2,141,271 Gerlofson Dec. 27, 1938 2,184,396 Mudge Dec. 26, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 193,101 British Feb. 20, 1923 388,472 British 1933 

